1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an absorbent garment suitable for use in absorbing body fluids. Specifically, the present invention relates to a stretchable shaped absorbent garment.
2. Description of the Related Art
It has been recognized that introducing a degree of stretchability into personal care products such as diapers, sanitary napkins, adult incontinent products and the like can provide said products with certain benefits. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,866,459 issued Dec. 30, 1958 to Sobelson describes a stretchable, reusable cotton diaper. Stretchability is imparted to the cotton fabric by the presence of longitudinal and transverse elastic stitching. The stitching is described as imparting longitudinal curvature and transverse curvature to the diaper. This curvature is described as producing a diaper formed permanently in the shape required for use.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,371,668, issued Mar. 5, 1968 to Johnson, is directed to a sanitary napkin employing a nonwoven fabric with machine direction elasticity as a cover. The described fabric comprises a nonwoven web of fibers having a plurality of elastic means, in extended condition, secured to the web. Upon their release, the fabric contracts in the length direction and is characterized by a plurality of substantially parallel buckled areas having improved bulk.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,964 issued Aug. 19, 1986 to Wideman is directed to a bulked web composite and method of making the same. Described is a composite formed by adhering a reticulated web of elastic material to at least one gatherable web whereby, upon release of the tensioning forces, the gatherable web is gathered by the reticulated web to form a bulked web composite. It is generally described that the reticulated web of the elastic material is elongated by differentially tensioning it, thus forming a composite having greater bulk corresponding to those areas of the reticulated web which are placed under a greater tensioning force.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,134 issued Jul. 11, 1989 to Fahrenkrug, et al. is directed to a stretchable absorbent undergarment. Described is a stretchable undergarment comprising a body-side layer, a liquid impervious outer layer, an absorbent layer and a stretchable layer. The stretchable layer comprises a continuous layer of stretchable material which may be perforated. The perforations render the elastomeric layer permeable. The elastomeric layer can be stretch bonded to the other layers such that upon relaxation the stretchable layer forms a plurality of rugosities in the body-side layer, outer layer and absorbent medium.
From the above, it can be seen that in the past, when stretchable materials were employed in absorbent products, they often imparted stretchability to only one component (e.g., the cover) of the absorbent product. While certain advantages can be brought to the absorbent products through the use of such stretchable materials, the use of such materials as only a single component of the product prevented such products from achieving certain other advantages. Moreover, even when stretchability was imparted to an entire absorbent product, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,134, such products are not believed to have been developed to their greatest extent. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,847,134, the use of the stretchable web may, in some instances, adversely affect the absorption of body fluids depending on the placement of the stretchable layer within the absorbent product and its ability to pass a fluid.